Providence
by nightchild78
Summary: AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late? (eventually Tony/OFC, no slash)
1. The last straw

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** Special thanks to my precious beta reader **badly_knitted**. I know this fic looks like a lot of other (better written) stories about Tony leaving NCIS (and especially the fantastic _Sticks and stones_ by **Charli911**, which I encourage you to read), but I promise after the early chapters, I'll try to write something new, or at least something I haven't already read. This is AU, so I had to change a few things to suit the plot.

I never meant to make Gibbs, McGee and Ziva look evil, but if everything was perfect in Paradise, there would be no story, so… All I can say is that there will be some redemption for Gibbs at some point.

I didn't intend to post it so soon since it's still a WIP, but my muse needs some encouragement, so let me know you if you like it. :D

**Chapter 1 - The last straw**

_Washington, DC - September 15th – __Friday evening. _

Tony locked the door of his apartment behind him. Without switching on the lights, he slowly slid down to the floor and rested his head against the door, staring at the ceiling as the mask he had carefully worn all through the day started to crumble, letting pain and anger slip through the cracks.

He banged the back of his head hard against the wood and a thud echoed through the corridor.

_What a mess. _

He shook his head and sighed.

After coming back from agent afloat, he had truly believed that things would improve after a while, but now it was obvious, even to him, that he had been wrong. Things would never get better. Good old days were gone and had he been less dim-witted he would have realized it months ago, if not years.

_Never was the sharpest tool in the shed, were you, DiNozzo? But usually, it doesn't take you so long to realize you have outstayed your welcome. _

He closed his eyes and bit his lip, fighting back the bitter tears burning behind his eyelids.

He shouldn't be surprised. After all, his own father had disowned him, his fiancée had left him at the altar, his former partner had betrayed him and Jenny hadn't hesitated to use him as a pawn to get her revenge. One by one, all the people around him invariably ended up hurting him or leaving him, one way or another. It was only to be expected that, at some point, even his team would do the same.

God, he felt so pathetic. He should have learnt his lesson by now. Maybe they were right. Maybe he was definitively a thickhead.

He should have seen it coming from miles away. Okay, this day had been a real nightmare, but if he was honest with himself, it hadn't seemed worse than any other day since Gibbs had left then come back from Mexico. It hadn't been different from so many other days, except this time something had cracked and he had finally seen the light.

As so often now, Gibbs had been in one of his very bad moods, mumbling under his beard and shouting… no, rather barking orders as soon as he had entered the bullpen, before disappearing with Vance into MTAC without any explanation.

The door had no sooner been closed behind the team leader than Ziva had attacked, quipping about Tony's slightly scruffy look and advising him to pull himself together quickly, if he didn't want to waste his best skill, in case Vance wanted him for another _supersecret_ undercover mission.

He hadn't missed the meanness behind her words and how she was not so subtly insinuating that given his lack of tech knowledge and military training, his 'best skill' was most likely his ability to seduce and get women in his bed.

Usually, he would have simply ignored her or would have dismissed her digs with some dry-witted retorts. But not this time. He had been too raw and on the edge for letting it slide. Six months as agent afloat, on top of the four months as team leader, during which he had stoically endured their permanent sarcasm and insubordination, had left scars.

He couldn't ignore how she purposely refused to admit how much what had happened between Jeanne and he had affected him and still acted as if Jeanne had only been another one night stand and his heart hadn't been broken. As if it was just a sick joke. As if he was nothing more than a cheap gigolo, bedding anything with a skirt on demand.

Of course, that was when McGee _Ifoundmyballsanddecidedtousethem_ had chosen to join the party and to Ziva's greatest delight had gone back over the Voss' incident, before suggesting with a smirk that Tony might start to think about enlarging his field of action. Just in case.

He had felt anger bubbling inside him like molten lava. He didn't like the jokes about that case. Not because Voss was a he/she. He didn't care. No, what bothered him was that he was a murderer. A fucking cold blooded murderer, who killed Pacci and played him.

Tony jumped up, fists clenched, ready to tell them where they could shove their opinions, when Gibbs' cold voice had made him freeze.

"DiNozzo! Your sex life and your life in general doesn't interest anyone here," the former Marine had shouted behind him. "Get back to work before I kick your ass into next month."

The entire bullpen had fallen silent around them. He had tried to ignore Tim and Ziva's smug faces and managed to plaster a blank mask on his features as he turned back to face his boss.

"Gibbs, you can't..."

"Are you deaf or dumb? I said 'get back to work'. _Now_."

The tone was sharp, the words insulting, but it was the look on Gibbs' face which had been the last straw breaking the camel's back.

Suddenly, Tony had felt transported through time and space. He wasn't Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, standing in the bullpen of the NCIS Headquarters and arguing with his boss any more, he was Anthony DiNozzo Junior, twelve years old, squirming in the middle of his father's study as the man told him he was disowned and sent him to boarding school.

He had thought the world of Gibbs. The man had been the closest thing to a father for him. But at that moment, all he had seen in his blue eyes had been the same coldness and disdain he'd seen in his father's.

Something had collapsed inside him.

"Whatever you say, Boss," he'd literally spit between his gritted teeth, swallowing his pride once again and feeling his face burning with humiliation as he sat down and buried himself in his paperwork.

He had thought it would be for real this time. That for once he had found where he belonged, he had finally found what he missed the most: a family. He was wrong.

Whilst doing his best to ignore the condescending glances of his co-workers, he had tried to remember the last time he heard an "attaboy" or "Good job, Tony" or even got an approving look from Gibbs and had found out he couldn't. Not since he had come back from the Seahawk anyway. There was no smile anymore, no approval.

He knew Gibbs still blamed him for Jenny's death, even if he had never said it out loud. Apparently being agent afloat wasn't enough of a punishment and he wouldn't be too surprised to hear that the former Marine had brought him back to DC only to personally take charge of his case.

He rubbed his hands over his face.

Now the anger was gone and he was just tired. Tired of wearing his eternal clown's mask, pretending everything was okay. Tired of being the target of everyone anger.

He should have taken Rota. He had been stupid to refuse it. Stupid to stay after he had been demoted when Gibbs had finally decided to come back and just dumped his stuff back on his old desk without even blinking. Stupid to believe things could be the same again after Jenny's death. Gibbs didn't trust him anymore and didn't want him around. It was obvious and the team leader couldn't have made it clearer than he had done during the Maddie Tyler case.

Moreover, it had been months now since the last time Tony had been invited to share a jar of bourbon in Gibbs' basement. The former Marine had simply disowned him, just like his real father did years ago. Only this time there had been no shouting or threats, only glaring and scathing remarks.

There must have been something wrong with him. Otherwise, how could he explain that two men, so different from each other, finally ended up despising him in the same way?

He snorted with self-deprecation.

It seemed that he was back in his usual vicious circle. First his father, then the various police departments he had worked for and now his team. No, he corrected himself, not _his_ team. Gibbs' team. They had made it fairly clear that they were not his, not as a team leader, nor as a SFA.

However, he didn't feel like a part of the team anymore. He was just the annoying and useless goofball no one knew how to get rid of.

Well, he wouldn't bother them any longer. He knew what he had to do. He had done it before, he could do it again.

Slowly, he hauled himself from the floor and headed towards the kitchen. After having rummaged through the cupboards and the fridge for a moment, he managed to put together a ham and cheese sandwich. The night would be long and he needed to refuel.

Once he had finished his Spartan dinner, he sat at his desk, opened his laptop and started typing.

Yes, it would be a very long night.

_To be continued_


	2. Severance

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** Special thanks to my precious beta reader badly_knitted. Also a huge thank you to everyone who has been so kind to review this fic and to those who have added me to their favorite author list and story alerts. It means so much to me. I was overwhelmed by your fantastic reception.

**To mandy153, -Watson, Laurie, lunaz **and **dragon **: Thank you! I'm glad you like it and hope you'll like the next chapters.

**To Hetty:** Thank you! Don't worry they will be smacked, one way or another. Tony really deserved to be appreciated and regain his self-confidence. Hope you'll like the next chapters.

**To NCIS fan**: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. Gibbs will make it up with Tony, but the path leading to forgiveness will be very long (McGee and Ziva will have to wait even longer, until the sequel I've planned.)

**To ****wytygr:** Wow this is certainly the longest review I have ever received. :D Tony is a good man and an even better cop. He deserves better and I want to give him a fresh start. I don't really hate Tim and Ziva, it's just that they get on my nerves most of the time. Sorry, but the plot is already fixed, so there will be a reconciliation between Tony and Gibbs, though it won't be easy. Don't worry Tony will get ahead in the world and acquire new friends who will really appreciate him.

**To NCIS-Fan10802**: Thanks. There will be a lot of OC, I hope you'll like them.

**Chapter 2 - Severance**

_Washington, DC - September 15th – Friday night._

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Tony looked at the ceiling and sighed. The only lighting was provided by the streetlight outside and with the exception of an occasional car passing in the street, everything was quiet.

It had taken him less than twenty minutes to write his resignation letter and send it by mail to Vance. At least he knew it would make the director's day when he found it in his mailbox on Monday morning. It was an understatement that the director didn't like him, but at least Vance had had the good grace to be honest with him and hadn't tried to pretend otherwise whilst stabbing him in the back.

Given he still had three weeks of leave to take to cover his notice, Tony had asked for his resignation to be with immediate effect.

He felt guilty towards Ducky and Jimmy for leaving this way, but going back to work was beyond his strength. The two men had never been anything other than caring and supportive with him and he would miss them a lot, but he couldn't stand the idea of spending another minute in the same room as the rest of the team.

He just wanted it to be over.

Abby was yet another dilemma. The Goth girl had never meant to hurt him on purpose, and he had always seen her as a sort of little sister. The real problem was, in fact, that she loved Gibbs. Not in a romantic sense, of course. It would be too weird. No, she loved him like children could love their favourite superhero. For her, Gibbs was like a knight in shining armour, without fear and without reproach.

No matter what he did or didn't do, she still loved him, completely and unconditionally. Where Tony would have had to literally grovel on the floor to earn her pardon, Gibbs only had to smile and bring her a Caf-Pow to be forgiven. Tony didn't blame her; he knew she couldn't help it. As he knew he would ever be second best for her.

But because of that, the two of them had slowly drifted apart.

Refusing to let despondency get the better of him, Tony jumped to his feet, switched on the lights and walked to the large closet occupying the whole far wall of the room. He opened the sliding doors and looked at the rows of suits and stacks of shirts carefully aligned, that filled the greater part of the shelving and hanging space. He thoughtfully ran his hand over the hangers, his fingertips caressing the refined fabric.

For years, he had used these overpriced suits as a bulwark against the outside world and a way to maintain the illusion of a confidence he was far from possessing. Wherever the path he was going to take would lead, one thing was certain, he didn't want to have to hide anymore behind this kind of artifice.

Going up on tiptoes, he grabbed the huge suitcase that was in the top shelf and put it on the floor, then he proceeded to fill it with the rest of his clothes.

His hand met the soft fabric of a cashmere sweater. Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against one of the shelves. The sweater was a Christmas present that Kate had offered him the first year they had worked together.

He missed Kate. Things hadn't always been easy between them, but unlike Ziva and McGee by now, she had never been intentionally cruel towards him. In spite of their incessant bickering, she had stayed with him whilst he had been fighting against the fucking plague, though she didn't have to. They had become increasingly close over the years and who knew how far it could have taken them, if the young woman had not been killed?

At some point, he had hoped to develop with Ziva the same sort of camaraderie he had known with Kate. But the Israeli agent had always managed to keep him at arm's length, even more since she had come back from Israel.

Tony dropped the sweater on the top of the suitcase and undertook to clear out the last shelf of socks and underwear.

He put aside two pairs of trainers, a set of sheets and two towels, which finished up filling the suitcase to the brim.

Then he loaded the rest of his belongings in the trunk of his car and went to a shelter for the homeless, run by nuns and located less than ten minutes from home. He knew that the place was continuously open, whatever the time of day or night.

The look on the face of the nun who went to meet him was priceless, when she saw the armful of clothes and linen he was bringing.

It took him ages to evade the demonstrations of gratitude of the brave woman, who kept thanking him as he was reaching his car, telling him how much his gesture was appreciated and how his donation would be useful for their protégés, particularly in order to help them to look their best when applying for a job.

If personally, Tony had some doubt about the opinion an employer might have about a potential candidate wearing a $1,000 suit, he kept it to himself. He still had a lot to do and he hoped to enjoy a few hours of sleep before his departure.

Once back home, he decided to tackle the living room first.

One of the few positive aspects of his situation was that his apartment since he was back on dry land was rented furnished, which saved him having to rid the premises of furniture before giving back the keys.

He retrieved a moving box from the hall closet and carefully packed his precious collection of DVDs. He selected a dozen of them he especially liked and did his best to fit them between two piles of clothes in his suitcase.

Afterward, he cleared the contents of the medicine cabinet from the bathroom into the backpack he used for work, before putting it in the hall, beside his suitcase and the box of DVDs.

He checked one last time that all the cupboards were empty, then turned off the lights and went back into the bedroom.

Without bothering to undress, he fell back on his bed with his arms stretched out wide.

Maybe Gibbs was right. Who could be interested in someone whose life was so insignificant that it could fit in two bags and a moving box? For eight years, he had lived in DC and worked for NCIS and now he was leaving with even less than when he had come from Baltimore.

It was pathetic.

_Your life in general doesn't interest anyone here_.

Gibbs' sharp reply had resounded to his ears all through the night, mingling gradually with other much older ones that, although dulled by years, hadn't lost their ability to hurt him.

_You're worthless. You will end up in the gutter. You're a disgrace to this family._

How could he have imagined for a second that Gibbs might see him as a son?

His departure would most likely dent Gibbs's pride for not being the one who fired him at first, but nothing more and he could consider himself fortunate if McGee and Ziva didn't throw a party to celebrate.

With the exception of Ducky and Jimmy, he didn't expect his old team to miss him a lot. Perhaps, Abby would understand his reasons for leaving and mourn the loss of their friendship… unless she saw it as a spoiled child's whim and put the blame on him.

Tony felt a solitary tear running along his temple and wiped it away quickly. He couldn't afford to break down now. Maybe later, but not now.

He opened the drawer of the bedside table and pulled out a bottle of sleeping pills. The prescription was old, but the bottle was still nearly full. He hated to use this stuff, but he really needed to rest. He dry swallowed two pills and curled into a ball.

Less than twenty minutes later, he was sound asleep.

_To be continued_


	3. Without a trace

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** Special thanks to my precious beta reader badly_knitted. Also a huge thank you to everyone who has been so kind to review this fic and to those who have added me to their favorite author list and story alerts. It means so much to me. I would never have imagined such a fantastic reception.

**To ****Siobhan369, ****mandy153, ****Pamsie 123, barbaratakuyaho, ****dragon, and my other anonymous Guest (s)**: Thank you for your kind words and your support.

**To the guest who ask for it: **I completed the summary. This fic isn't slash, but be warned that a homosexual character will make an appearance at some point. Just for your information.

**To NCIS fan**: Thank you! Did you read over my shoulder whilst I was writing? Lol. Hope this chapter meets your expectations.

**To ****Phoenix Red Lion:** Thanks. I agree that he should have left a long time ago. I hope you'll like this chapter.

**To ****wytygr:** Yeah. Working for NCIS can seriously damage your health… if your name is Tony DiNozzo. I agree that there is undeniably double standard between Tony and the rest of the team.

**To terrisnape**: Thank you. I didn't even know that the town existed for real. Mine is purely fictional and will be located in the heart of the Ozarks (but shh… I don't want to tell too much). I read the same fic as you and the similarities were amazing, but mine doesn't end the same way. The "jurisdiction" thing will be used in the sequel I've planned.

**Chapter 3 – Without a trace**

_Washington, DC - September 16th – __Saturday morning_

When Tony got into NCIS headquarters on Saturday morning, he was relieved to see that, aside from a handful of agents on call, the place was mostly empty. Anyway, it wasn't unusual for him to come to the Yard during the week-end in order to finish some paperwork, and nobody seemed to pay attention to him as he walked through the bullpen.

In spite of the sleeping pills, he had woken up early and went for his usual four miles run, before a long hot shower and a quick breakfast.

Though he still felt exhausted, his mind was clear and his determination unwavering. He wanted it to be over. He wanted to leave his past behind him along with his cortege of ghosts.

He had spent almost an hour working on his laptop to terminate his lease and his miscellaneous subscriptions, finally making an appointment with his banker in order to close his accounts.

Once it was done, he had formatted the hard disk and erased the memory of his cell phone.

Cleaning the apartment from top to bottom had taken less than an hour, then, after a last glance around him, Tony had locked the front door for the last time and drove towards the Navy Yard.

After getting rid of the computer and the cell phone at a pawnshop, he had made a detour to a small shop downtown, where he knew he could get a good price for his collection. Selling it off this way was a heartbreak for him, but he couldn't afford this kind of excess baggage.

The last stop before reaching his destination had been to his bank, where he had withdrawn in cash the remaining money from his accounts, minus rent and payment of his last invoices. Three thousand five hundred dollars in banknotes, hundreds and fifties, which he had hastened to hide in his belt with his pocket knife.

Tossing his backpack on the floor, Tony sat at his desk and turned on his computer.

The fact that he was almost as much of a technophobe as Gibbs and had as little patience with computers as he did, didn't mean that he wasn't able to use them when needed.

In spite of what his apparent dilettantism might suggest, Tony was endowed with a great sense of observation and a remarkable capacity for memorization, when he took the trouble to use it. Which had often got him out of rather delicate situations and could be very useful when you were working under the orders of the infamous Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

At the beginning of the Frog operation, he had taken an active part in the creation of the character of Professor Anthony DiNardo, which had brought him to work closely with the technicians in charge of creating his cover. Given the complexity of the case and its ramifications, nothing should be left to chance. The experience had been at least positive inasmuch as it had allowed him to observe the technicians at work whilst they were creating the official documents relating to his undercover personae.

Even though he was far from having the necessary knowledge himself to carry out such elaborate work, he was not as helpless as McGee seemed to think. After sneaking through the databases, he began to draw up the documents needed for his plan. Nothing really fancy, just the essentials for daily life: driving license, ID card, the same degree in Phy Ed he had obtained at university.

He was aware this was only an empty shell and that his modest creation wouldn't withstand a deep examination, but he had neither the time nor the skills to create a truly new identity. Its sole purpose was to buy him some time.

He knew perfectly well that once Gibbs found out about his resignation, he would try to find him, if only to make his point about how much of a failure Tony was, before firing him anyway. There were only two ways to leave Gibbs' team: being kicked out of it, like Vivian Blackadder or having Gibbs' approval for a transfer, as for so many agents before Tony started to work for NCIS. Surprisingly, the first option had proved to be quicker and less painful and humiliating than the second one.

At the time, his father had a great time telling him how much he thought ill of him, before excluding him from his life and Tony was determined not to give this pleasure to Gibbs, just so it could spare the other man's pride.

Purely and simply disappearing might seem lax, but it was the only way that Tony had found to leave with head held high.

It was also a matter of survival. He was well aware that since things had started to deteriorate, and even more so since Jenny's death, he tended to drink too much and too often. His own father was an alcoholic. A social alcoholic, certainly, but an alcoholic all the same, and it was out of the question that Tony took the same path.

All he wanted was a respite to catch his breath. Buying some time to be forgotten. He needed a fresh start, somewhere else. And therefore, he had to sever all the connections.

After having erased his traces within the computer system, the same way he had seen McGee do on so many occasions, he put the files he had finished processing the day before on Gibbs' desk and finished clearing his own desk.

He couldn't help feeling a twinge in his heart, when he reached the bottom drawer where he kept Gibbs' medals. He slowly pulled the box out of the drawer and went to put it away in an empty drawer of the Ex-Marine's desk, where he also placed his service gun and badge.

Then, he threw his backpack over his shoulder and took the elevator to discreetly retrieve his new papers on the lower floor, before heading in the direction of the autopsy room.

The automatic door opened with a hissing and Tony stopped briefly at the entrance of the room where were lined the metallic tables over which he had spent so much time listening to Ducky chatting about one of his many youthful adventures, with his arms buried to the elbows in the bowels of a poor unfortunate who was waiting for the circumstances of his death to be unravelled.

Yeah, Tony would really miss Ducky and the Autopsy Gremlin.

Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, he went to the office shared by the M.E and his assistant. He retrieved a bottle of 30 year old single malt from his backpack and put it on the desk with a small card on which was written only "_I'm sorry_".

After that, he then went to Abby's lab. After making sure that she wasn't sleeping somewhere on her futon after a rough night out, he grabbed Bert the Hippo, which was waiting quietly on a shelf for the return of his owner and put it on one of the benches, just in front of the door. He tucked a copy of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" between the legs of the animal and stuck on it a post-it on which he scribbled a simple "_I'll miss you_" adorned with two small skulls.

After a last look around, he left the scene unnoticed.

Walking away from NCIS headquarters, he felt himself overwhelmed by a weird feeling, a mixture of sadness, trepidation and relief.

_To be continued_


	4. On the road again

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** Special thanks to my precious beta reader badly_knitted. Once again a huge thank you to everyone who has been so kind to review this fic and to those who have added me to their favorite author list and story alerts. I'm flying. :D

I'm French and all I know about American towns, I have read in books. Thanks to **terrisnape **for telling me that there is actually a town called Providence in Missouri. Mine is a fictional town supposedly situated near the Ozark National Park. I have never set foot in the United States, never mind in Missouri, so please take this as it is: a pure fiction born from a too imaginative mind. In reading the reviews for the previous chapter, I realized by that I should have made it clearer that the gift left on Ducky's desk was for Jimmy as well, so I rewrote the sentence in the previous chapter.

* * *

**To mandy153****, ****dragon, murraysmum, Dls, Debbie A, and my other anonymous Guests**: Thank you for taking time to read and review. It means a lot to me.

**To Siobhan**: Thank you! I hope I won't disappoint you. I don't intend to write a story where Tony miraculously forgives everybody and everything goes back to normal. Too many things happened for that. If he decide to forgive, it is at his conditions and it doesn't mean that he will forget what they did to him.

**To NCIS fan**: Thank you! This fic takes place after "Heartland" but before "Nine lives", so no fight between Tony and Rivkin, and Ziva is going to have to clean her mess by herself. I left a job a few years ago too, so I wrote from experience lol.

**To ****Phoenix Red Lion:** Thank you. I agree that Tony is born to be a cop, but having work with MCRT for so long would put anyone off a career in law enforcement. Your reference to a dog made me smile (you'll see why later ;)).

**To ****wytygr:** Your description of the team's reactions closely matches what's in my mind. Thank you for your support.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – On the road again**

_Providence, Missouri - September 17__th__ – Sunday afternoon_

Tony pulled over at the roadside, removed his sunglasses and rubbed his sore eyes. The journey by car had turned out to be exhausting. He'd been driving for more than four hours now, and it was high time to have a break. On top of that, he was starting to feel ravenous.

It would certainly have been much easier and less tiring for him to go by plane, but it would also have left too many traces and, given the stringent security measures at airports, he wasn't sure his new identity would have withstood a thorough examination. The train wasn't much better and he wasn't in the mood to travel across the country sharing a Greyhound with a herd of strangers. At least in his car, he had some peace and quiet. He could choose his itinerary, listen to his music and think.

Once he had left Washington, he had spent the rest of the day on the road, stopping only to fill up and eat, endeavoring to quickly put as much distance as possible between himself and his former life.

After a not so restful night in a shabby motel near Columbus, he had hit the road early, aiming to join the legendary Route 66 and to treat himself to a journey in the footsteps of Kerouac, before heading for California and more specifically Los Angeles.

It was not that he really appreciated the city itself, especially after what happened to Jenny. No, what interested him was the fact that it was a large metropolis, anonymous and geographically extensive, in which it would be relatively easy to melt into the crowd and disappear.

For the moment, however, the California sun was going to wait a little longer. Indeed, once in Missouri, and while he was heading to Meramec, he had recalled that one of his frat brothers came from the South of the state and never failed to extol the charms of the region, where he used to spend all his holidays. Having never had the opportunity to visit the area and determined to make the most of his brand new freedom, Tony had finally veered off due south for a small touristic visit to the Ozarks and the state parks.

Except for a few hard earned days off here and there, it had been years since he had been able to enjoy a real vacation, and a little bit of chlorophyll couldn't hurt him. He would always have time to join Springfield and Route 66, and finish his trip to the Pacific and its sunny beaches as planned.

He looked at the road map lying on the passenger seat and followed the road he was on with his finger. A few miles away, he noted that it went through a medium-sized town called Providence. The name made him smile. It remained to hope it would live up to its promise and he would find at least one open shop where he could buy something to eat and fill up. His 1967 Camaro might be less fuel-hungry than a newer model, but he had no wish to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere.

He ran his hand over the worn leather of the steering-wheel and smirked.

Leaving the Navy Yard, he had immediately driven to a car dealer, whose morality was known to vary according to circumstances. The integrated GPS of his car almost amounted to sticking a sign on his back marked "I'm here!" so he had to get rid of it.

The vehicle was 'clean', in perfect condition and provided with all the papers, so the guy hadn't caused any trouble, giving him a good price and in cash. Just seeing his face, it was clear to Tony it wasn't the kind of transaction he was used to.

Once it was done, he had gone back by bus across the city, changing line several times to cover his tracks and ended up at another car seller, this one perfectly respectable. After a few minutes of wandering along the aisles of the parking lot, he had almost burst out laughing at the sight of the ancient sand-colored Camaro parked in a corner. _This_ was really the perfect car to embark on a road trip across the country. So perfect that it was almost a cliché. Despite its decrepit appearance, the engine was still in good condition and so far he hadn't had to regret his choice.

The endless hours he had spent behind the steering wheel, with only Dire Straits' music for company, had left him with plenty of time to think, but the only conclusion to which he had come so far, was that he neither could nor wanted to apply for a job in law enforcement

Any application for a position of that kind would inevitably entail checks on his professional past and would also immediately ring an alarm with NCIS. And it was out of the question that anyone out there know where he was. It was more likely that he would try to find a job as a consultant for a security company. He knew from experience that they were much less fussy than the official police about the pedigree of their staff and were also much less a stickler for the principles.

He stretched with a sigh and made his back creak, trying to relieve his aching vertebrae.

All that mattered at the moment for him was to find a quiet place where he could settle down for a moment and take a little rest, gathering enough energy to bounce back, as he had done so many times before.

He took a deep breath and lowered his side window. Resting his head against the headrest of his seat, he gave himself up for a moment to the contemplation of the beautiful landscape before him.

On each side of the road and as far as the eye could see, stretched a dense forest, the foliage already draping itself in flaming autumn colours. The traffic was nearly non-existent and through the open window, he could hear the muffled rumble of a torrent flowing down below the road.

A puff of cold wind, loaded with the heavy smell of fallen leaves and humus, came to caress his face. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes, letting himself be lulled by the rustling of the wind in the leaves and the chirping of birds hidden in the branches. After the constant hustle and bustle of the capital, it was so restful.

As far as he could remember, Tony had never been a big fan of the country and even less after the long months he had to spend alone in holiday camps, after his father had started his long string of remarriages. Although, he couldn't help but find something soothing and comforting in feeling the power and peacefulness of nature vibrating around him.

He enjoyed for a few more minutes the peace and beauty of the place, before stretching with a grunt and setting off again.

Less than fifteen minutes later, he left behind him a large sign announcing in white letters on a dark green background:

_Welcome to Providence Mo. – Alt. 1,310 ft – Population 3,568._

_To be continued_

_**AN:** __A few clarifications, following various comments concerning the time taken by Tony to join Missouri. My calculator on the internet indicates 818 miles and a journey of about 12 h 30 between DC and St. Louis. After leaving DC on Saturday late morning, if he drove to Columbus (a 6 h 30 drive) before stopping for the night, then for 9 hours from 7.00 to 16.00 (pee breaks and snacks included), I think he could reasonably have joined the Ozarks on Sunday late afternoon as indicated at the top of the chapter. I meant he had driven 4 hours **without a break** and not 4 hours in all. I hope I'm not mistaken (for the logic of the story, I really need Tony's arrival to be on Sunday late afternoon). : D_


	5. The Silver Fox

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** Special thanks to my precious beta reader badly_knitted.

As always thank you to those who have reviewed my work or added it to their favorites list and story alerts. I still can't believe that I've received more than 100 reviews so far. Wow! :D

This is the last complete and betaed chapter that I still had in store, so the next updates will certainly be less regular, but I promise I'll try my best to keep it reasonable (more than likely every other week).

* * *

**To Guest and nando2k50**: Thank you. I'm touched.

**To Terisnape**: Thank you for that clarification. I changed 'national parks' into 'state parks'. Given that Providence and the county of the same name don't exist, I confess to having taken some artistic liberties.

**To Teri and wytygr**: Thank you for your constructive criticism and kind words. :) Concerning Tony's journey, I invite you to read the small AN I added at the end of the previous chapter, hoping it will be helpful.

**To Guest**: Thank you for your nice review. Don't worry, I'm not touchy and constructive criticism is welcome. I'm not perfect and well aware of my limits. :D

* * *

**Chapter 5 – The Silver Fox **

_Providence, Missouri - September 17__th__ – Sunday afternoon_

At first sight, Providence looked just like the typical American rural town.

It was nestled in a valley between two mountain ranges of medium altitude. The road going through the city from North to South served as a main street lined with various shops and from which spread a network of narrower streets. Tony noticed, amongst others things the presence of a drugstore, a cinema and several food and clothing shops. At the first intersection, a road sign also showed visitors the way to the high school, the municipal swimming pool and the city hall.

As expected, the shutters of the shops were all lowered and the streets almost deserted at this hour of the day. Most people were more than likely settled quietly at home, busy sharing beers with their family whilst watching a game on TV.

Nevertheless, he began to go up the main street, turning the head from one side to the other in the hope of finding at least a self-service gas station.

He had almost reached the outskirts of the town, when his eyes caught sight of a red 'open' panel stuck on the façade of a diner. It was always worth trying. Taking advantage of the near absence of traffic, he did a U-turn and went to park just in front of the entrance.

He couldn't suppress a chuckle as he read the name of the place proudly displayed in white neon letters above the glass door of the entrance. _The Silver Fox_. He was coming to think that he was cursed. Even in the very heart of nowhere, he couldn't avoid being reminded of the former Marine.

He cast a glance at his surroundings and noticed that with the exception of a big navy blue pick-up and his Camaro, the car park was deserted. Crossing his fingers that the place wasn't about to close, he hastened to retrieve his wallet from the glove compartment and got out of the car. Whilst massaging a sore spot in his neck resulting from the poor quality bedding of the previous night's accomodations, he made sure that the doors and the trunk were securely locked before climbing two by two the few steps leading to the front door. He didn't want to risk getting stupidly robbed of his car and at the same time of what remained of his belongings.

The tinkling of a bell resounded as he slowly pushed open the door and he peered inside. The contrast between the bright light of the outside and the dim light of the inside made him squint and it took him a handful of seconds to make out his surroundings.

"Hellooo... Is there anybody here?" he called hesitantly.

A raspy voice laced with a thick accent came from the back of the room.

"There is. What can I do for you, pretty boy?"

A buxom woman rose slowly from one of the tables in the back of the room and walked nonchalantly to the bar, where she placed what looked like a ledger. She looked about sixty, sixty five with a bobbed hairstyle, strawberry blonde hair and piercing dark blue eyes.

Tony ran his fingers through his hair and scratched the back of his neck, giving her a sheepish smile.

"Well... I'm sorry to bother you, but I saw the sign at the door and I was hoping I could find something to eat."

The woman looked him up and down and Tony couldn't help squirming under her scrutiny. Hell, she could have given Gibbs a run for his money in regard to the art of glaring.

"Usually we're closed on Sunday, but you're lucky; today's the exception," she finally said, apparently satisfied with her assessment.

Tony inwardly sighed with relief. He was really starving and couldn't imagine hitting the road with an empty stomach.

"Thank you, Madam."

The woman shook her head and went behind the counter.

"Thank Barry Turner, not me."

"Excuse me?" He was puzzled.

"Barry Turner," she repeated, pointing at a picture on the counter adorned with black crepe.

"He died four days ago. Family and friends came from the four corners of the state for the funeral and they had a brunch here earlier. Otherwise, you'd have found the door closed."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

She sent him a wry smile and dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand.

"Don't be. Barry was an old fogy. He had a great life and died in his sleep. No need to feel sorry for him, really. Take a seat, I'm gonna see if I can fetch you something from the kitchen."

As she disappeared through the door, Tony couldn't help smirking. The woman really was a model of bluntness and, the least one could say, not at a loss for words.

He perched himself on one of the stools and looked around him, whilst playing with a paper napkin left on the counter.

The place was actually composed of two adjoining rooms and served at the same time as a pub and a diner.

The 'restaurant' part consisted of a long room, which was occupied by a row of bench seats aligned under large windows opening onto the parking lot and a refrigerated buffet meant to hold desserts. It was separated from the 'bar' part by a swinging 'saloon' door and copiously lit by daylight, whereas the bar was darker and lit only by the glass door. He also spotted a side entrance allowing the restaurant's customers direct access to the parking lot, without having to go through the bar.

_Always arrange a way out. _Without doubt, conditioned reflex died hard. With a sigh, he turned his attention to the bar.

It was nothing very original in itself, but Tony had to admit it exuded a quaint atmosphere in which you could easily feel comfortable. With the exception of the traditional zinc bar and worn wooden stools that garnished it, the furniture consisted of a few round tables and a half-dozen bench seats along the back of the room, near a dart board and a pool table which completed the furniture. Unlike the restaurant the walls of which were painted in shades of peach, those of the bar were covered in wood panels, blackened by years and decorated with a few group photos in black and white which, Tony assumed, depicted regulars or well-known local figures.

"Not exactly the fancy places you are used to on the East Coast, is it?"

The woman's voice startled him and he turned his head to see her heading back to him with a large plate on which were displayed an ample portion of meatloaf and an assortment of mixed salads. At the sight of the appetizing dishes, Tony felt his mouth already watering.

"In fact, it reminds me of a place where I worked as a bartender when I was at College," he hurried to reply, in order to sort out any misunderstanding. He rubbed his hands with delight. "Mmm… It looks delicious."

"I hope so. I cooked that," she said gruffly, before handing him the plate.

"Thanks," he said as he took it carefully.

The woman narrowed her eyes for a second, then let out in a softer tone:

"You're welcome."

The plate had barely met the counter before Tony started eating his way through the contents.

The woman raised an eyebrow then shook her head with an amused smirk.

"Mind if I keep you company, pretty boy?" she asked him, leaning an elbow on the counter, her other hand resting on her hip.

Tony shook his head and quickly swallowed a mouthful of meat loaf.

"Uh, huh. Not at all, on the contrary."

He was almost surprised to realize that it was true. In spite of her abrasive manners, the woman seemed to be rather nice, in her own way and displayed a strange mixture of intimidation and reassurance that reminded him of his grand aunt Carmella. God, that woman had scared the hell out of him when he was a child, yet she was one of the rare persons who had never forgotten to send him a card on his birthday, up until she died a few years ago.

Anyway after all those long lonely hours spent rehashing his dark thoughts, talking with another human being came as a breath of fresh air. Moreover, it looked like a good opportunity to test his new identity.

He put down his cutlery and held out his hand, flashing her his most dazzling smile.

"I forgot to introduce myself properly. My name is Tony. Tony Hamilton."

_To be continued_


	6. Tillie

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Scuito, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** Special thanks to my precious beta reader badly_knitted.

The character of Tillie Hackerman is pictured from the actress Fran Ryan and inspired by her role in the short lived 1980s CBS TV series _The Wizard_ as Tillie Russell.  
I know the maiden name of Tony's mother is Paddington, but it really sounded too 'british' for my purpose, so I chose to change it into Hamilton. I hope you don't mind.

* * *

**To nando2k50**: Thank you. Glad you like the old lady. She's a damn fine woman. This chapter is a bit longer. Hope you'll like it. :D

**To Karel:** Thank you. You're right, Tony is perfectly able to stand up for himself, but sometimes even the strongest are tired to fight. Hope you'll like the next chapters. :D

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Tillie **

_Providence, Missouri - September 17__th__ – Sunday afternoon_

"_I forgot to introduce myself properly. My name is Tony. Tony Hamilton."_

He knew from experience that the best covers were those which were closest to the truth. So he had decided to keep his real first name and use the maiden name of his mother as patronymic. The only other change was the year of birth on his false identity papers which made him two years older.

The woman took his hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Tillie Hackerman," she introduced herself with a nod.

"Nice to meet you Mrs Hackerman," he said, keeping her hand in his a little longer than necessary and earning her first real smile since he entered the bar.

"Please, call me Tillie. Everyone else does."

Tony's grin widened with satisfaction. No one could resist the DiNozzo charm.

"Only if you call me Tony," he replied seductively.

She tilted her head back and gave him a pointed look which clearly told him she wasn't actually taken in by his act.

His smile faltered and he cleared his throat before resuming his chewing. Maybe the DiNozzo charm wasn't what it used to be after all.

"So, Tony, do you wanna drink of something?" offered Tillie with a sly smile, obviously amused by his sudden embarrassment.

He gratefully nodded.

"Yep, thanks. Water would be nice. I'm thirsty."

"You come a long way?" she asked him, while rummaging under the bar.

"The East Coast, as you said," Tony answered noncommittally.

He stuffed another bite of potato salad into his mouth before asking in turn.

"How did you know, by the way?"

"How did I know what?" frowned Tillie handing him a bottle of water.

"About the East Coast."

"Oh, that." She shrugged. "Your accent."

Tony looked up to her, trying his best to hide his annoyance. He had worked hard over the years in order to erase, as much as possible, any trace of Long Island accent and had thought he had done a good job of it. Well, apparently, not good enough to fool the bartender of a dive bar in the depths of Missouri.

Mistaking his expression for disbelief, she felt obliged to explain.

"Ironically enough, this town is situated at the junction of a National Park eastwards and a hunting reserve westwards. Between you and me, there is hardly anybody but a band of idiot politicians from Washington for setting up that sort of aberrancy. Anyway, between hunters, fishermen, birdwatchers and the yuppies who want to 'recharge their batteries', a lot of people come through here. After a while, you can guess where people come from just by the sound of their voice. With the years, it has become a sort of reflex. In your case I'd say New York or Rhode Island."

"Very impressive," chuckled Tony wiping his mouth with a napkin, without actually bearing out her assumption.

"I can also say that you definitely don't look like a bird watcher," she added casually. "What brings you here?"

He unscrewed the cap and took a sip, before finally answering.

"I'm in transit. Needed to eat something and refuel." Another vague answer, but this time it was true. He really didn't have any clue about where he would end up.

If his answers didn't satisfy her curiosity, it didn't seem to bother her or at least, she didn't let it show.

"There is a gas station a little further down the main street," Tillie informed him. "Byron, the owner, is a bit crazy, but he has the merit of being open every blessed day and at any time."

Tony nodded and put his knife and fork back on the plate.

"In that case, I'll pay him a visit."

She straightened and cleared the dishes before giving the bar a quick wipe.

"Do you want some dessert?"

Tony patted his stomach and pulled a face.

"I'm tempted, but I'm not sure that's very wise."

Tillie merely rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Nonsense. Apple pie or chocolate cake?"

Tony scratched his chin.

"Both sound great, but I think I'll try the pie."

"Good choice. Coffee, too?"

He nodded.

"With pleasure."

Two minutes later, she was back with two plates of warm apple pie and two large cups of coffee.

Tony raised a wry eyebrow and she scowled at him

"What? Do I look like I bother about my weight?"

He looked at her warily before trying to see if he could push her buttons.

"In my humble opinion and with all due respect, I don't think there are too many things that can bother you, Tillie."

She took a generous portion of pie and delightedly put it into her mouth before replying with amusement.

"You're right, my dear boy. There are only three things that really piss me off. Idiots, idlers and politicians, who, you could say, may also fall into the first two classes."

Tony burst out laughing. This woman was definitely not afraid to speak her mind.

Taking advantage of the fact that he was chewing a mouthful of pie, she carried on.

"You didn't tell me. Where are you heading, Tony?"

She wasn't the type to let go either, apparently.

He took a deep breath and looked down.

"Well… I'm not really sure yet. I'm making drastic changes in my life and it's still a bit of a blur. California more than likely. Or somewhere else. I'm not picky. Anywhere will do, as long as it's as far as possible from the Atlantic Ocean."

Tillie shook her head.

"If you want a piece of advice, forget California."

He looked at her quizzically, so she added.

"Too many earthquakes".

She mused for a second before speaking again.

"What about Alaska?"

He hissed between his teeth and took a sip of his coffee.

"Ugh. Nah, too cold and too many Grizzlies."

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay. So, why not Hawaii? Plenty of sun and bikinis there."

He shook his head.

"Sorry, but... Hawaii and I, we are not hitting it off. Bad memories. And for your information, they also have their fair share of earthquakes."

Hawaii was indisputably a beautiful place, but living there would only remind him of another time when he had also been abandoned by someone he trusted and that wasn't what he needed right now.

A soft chuckle escaped Tillie's throat.

"And you said you were not picky."

Tony smiled in return. He wiped his hands on his napkin and cleared his throat. In spite of the great pleasure he'd had chatting with Tillie, it was about time for him to go.

"Okay, so… This was delicious, but I'm afraid that I have to go. How much do I owe you for this gourmet meal?"

He pulled out his wallet, but she shook her head while gathering the plates and cups.

"Forget it. It's on the house. Barry's family already paid for it, anyway. If you hadn't stopped by, I would have had to throw the leftovers away."

"Are you sure?" he insisted.

"Yes, yes," she confirmed with a wave of her hand.

Tony tilted his head and rubbed the back of his neck, feeling slightly unsettled by Tillie's unexpected generosity.

"Well, thank you."

"Anytime pretty boy," she said with a soft smile as he stood up. "Take care of yourself."

He waved his hand and headed towards the exit, but just as he was about to open the door, she called out to him.

"Hey, pretty boy!"

He stood rooted to the spot, his hand on the doorknob, wondering if she had finally changed her mind about the free meal.

"Are you looking for a job?"

His brows shot up and he spun round, taken aback.

"Excuse me?"

She pointed at a slate hooked above the bar that he hadn't noticed before, with the inscription _'Help wanted'_ chalked on it.

"We are looking for a bartender. Interested?"

He screwed up his eyes and stared at her.

"You're serious?"

She crossed her arms and met his gaze.

"Always when it comes to business."

Tony's frown increased.

"Do you often offer a job to guys you've barely known for twenty minutes?"

"No," she quietly stated.

"Why me?" he wanted to know.

She pursed her lips and shrugged noncommittally.

"You look like a good guy and you said you have experience. I thought you could fit the job. No harm in asking."

Tony stifled a snort.

"You might be disappointed," he mumbled wryly.

She let out a sigh and resumed her cleaning, though the counter was already shining like a mirror.

"Maybe, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. So?"

Tony leant backward and rested his head against the lukewarm glass of the door as he reflected quickly.

The least he could say was that a bartender's job in the depths of the Ozarks wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he had left DC. Paying a visit to the national parks along the way was one thing, but moving to the countryside was a horse of a different color. Not that he had anything against the place itself, on the contrary. In some ways, it reminded him of Stillwater, Gibbs' hometown, and he kept rather good memories of his time in the small town in Pennsylvania. However, he had always thought of himself as a city boy and he wasn't sure that he could get used to living in such a remote place.

Not to mention that working in a bar when you're on the verge of becoming an alcoholic was certainly not the wisest thing to do. Though it would also be a good way to test the limits of his restraint.

He didn't know what to do.

On the other hand, it was more than likely the last place where someone would think to look for him. It would never occur to them that he could bury himself in such a backwater. This wasn't something that the superficial and preppy Tony DiNozzo would do. The real question was what would Tony Hamilton do?

As if sensing his dilemma, Tillie spoke again.

"Providence is a nice place to live, you know." She paused and gave him a lopsided smile. "Of course, as for bikinis, they're likely limited hereabout."

"I figured."

He couldn't help returning her smile. Girls and bikinis were really the least of his concerns at the moment.

"Give it a try," she gently insisted. "If it doesn't suit you, you are free to leave. Malibu won't disappear in one night."

Her lips quirked with a wry smile.

"Unless it goes under the ocean in the meantime, of course."

Tony lifted a hand and thoughtfully rubbed it across his chin.

He had to admit that Tillie's enthusiasm was rather infectious and in spite of his lingering reluctance, the idea of putting down his suitcase, in every sense of the word, looked more and more appealing by the minute. Besides, nothing forced him to stay forever. He could take the job, stay long enough to get his breath back and save money, then go back on his merry way.

With a sigh, he came to his decision and pushed himself away from the door.

"Okay, I suppose it doesn't cost anything to give it a shot. But don't expect too much, it has been quite a while since I worked in a bar."

Tillie's smile widened into a grin.

"Don't worry. It's like riding a bike, you never forget."

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he looked around him, uncertain of what to do next.

"So I guess I should look for a hotel room, if I'm going to stick around."

Tillie tutted and shook her head.

"Good luck with that. There is a folk music festival at the neighboring town. All the hotels, motels or holiday cottages for miles around are fully booked until the end of the next week. That's why it's so quiet in town at the moment. Most of the people are at Blue Creek for the gigs."

Tony knitted his brows.

"Looks like we've got a problem, then."

"Yes, we do," she nodded soberly, before darting a sly glance at him and quipping.

"But I may have a solution."

_To be continued._


	7. First impressions

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note**: Thanks to the wonderful badly_knitted for making it readable.

As always thank you to those who have reviewed my work or added it to their favorites list and story alerts.

I had to split this chapter in two part due to its length, but I promise that chapter 9 will finally deal with the team and their reactions. Hope you'll enjoy.

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**To Guest:** Thank you. I hope you'll like this chapter.

**To ****nando2k50:** Thank you. I'm glad you like her because she will play a leading role in Tony's new life.

**To NCIS fan:** Thank you. Guess no place is perfect ;D. Providence is indeed a good place to live and I'm glad you like Tillie.

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**Chapter 7 – First impressions**

_Providence, Missouri - September 17__th__ – Sunday evening_

As he followed Tillie's pick-up towards the outskirts of the town, Tony couldn't help but hope he wasn't about to re-enact James Caan's performance in "Misery". Not that there was anything about the older woman that reminded him so far of the psychotic nurse Anny Wilkes, but he had to admit that the whole situation was rather confusing.

All he had had in mind when stopping by her restaurant, had been to have a bite before carrying on and now he found himself provided with a new job and more than likely a new place to stay. It seemed almost too good to be true or, as Abby would have said, 'definitely hinky'.

More than once he had had to resist the urge to turn round and resume his journey, but aside from the fact that it would have been extremely bad-manners towards someone who had only showed kindness and respect for him, it was also getting late and he could really do with a good night's sleep, as long as it wasn't in the Bates Motel.

Tony wearily rubbed his eyes and focused on the road, mentally mapping his way since they had left the Silver Fox. Exhaustion was competing with wariness inside him and damned if he could tell which one would finally have the upper hand.

It seemed so weird to him to follow so blindly someone he barely knew. With everything that had happened to him during the last few months, no, scratch that, during the last few years, he would have expected to be more cynical and suspicious of his fellows.

However, like the little boy who desperately held on to the hope that one day his father would decide to show him some affection, the man he had become still wanted to keep faith in humanity and believe that the whole universe wasn't aiming at deceiving him. He just hoped he wouldn't have to face another disappointment.

The rear lights of the pick-up lit up and pulled him out of his musing as Tillie slowed down and turned left into a tree-lined street bordered on either side by spick and span houses.

No long after, she pulled in to the sidewalk and Tony did the same. As he turned off the ignition, he quickly scanned his surroundings.

They had reached what looked like a good residential area and stood just in front of a two-story house the façade of which was covered with pale blue shingles whereas the windows and door were painted in bright white. The porch was adorned with a wooden swing-seat and a well-kept lawn planted with rose beds sloped down to the sidewalk. On the right side, a paved path separated the main building from another smaller two-story building serving, in all likelihood, as a garage or a workshop.

Although it had grown dark already, all the lights of the place were off.

"Whose house is it?" asked Tony after they had both got out of their respective cars.

"Mine," Tillie answered in a matter of fact tone.

"You took me to your place?" Tony repeated incredulously, before trying to hide his astonishment behind his usual banter. "Isn't that a bit hasty? People will talk. Don't you think I should ask you out on a date before we get so intimate?"

Tillie giggled.

"In your dreams, handsome."

She pointed her thumb at a sash window situated over the outbuilding's door.

"There's a room upstairs. It was meant to be a sort of master suite for my daughter, Karen, when she comes to visit with the kids, but my son-in-law hates to come here, so most of the time I am the one who visits them in Indiana. It's not very big, but it will do for now."

Tony raised his eyebrows.

"Just like that?"

Tillie rolled her eyes and growled:

"Yeah. Just like that. Is there a problem?"

Tony faltered. He really didn't intend to upset her or to sound ungrateful, but he was still trying to wrap his mind around her uncanny open-handedness.

"I'm sorry. It's just that…" He paused and pressed his lips together, looking for the right words. "We barely met and you already offered me a job and now a roof. I… I'm not a beggar. I don't know what you..."

She raised her hand and cut him off.

"Okay, kiddo. I'm gonna put your mind at ease, right here and now. I don't give handouts. I gave you a job and believe me, you'll have to earn each dollar of your pay check. As for the room, I'll deduct a rent from your wages. Do you still feel like I'm doing my good deed for the day?"

Tony shook his head and chuckled.

"Well, when you put it like that."

Leaning back against the hood of the Camaro, he rested one of his feet on the front bumper and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Anyway, care to explain to me why you're doing it? The real reason, I mean. Not that lame patter you served me about my _experience_. Because I'm sure there are a lot of people around here who are more suited to the job than me."

She gave a hint of a smile.

"Maybe just because I like you?"

Tony snorted dejectedly and looked away.

"You can't like me. You don't know anything about me."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she let out a weary sigh.

"Then call it woman's intuition."

Without giving him a chance to protest, she carried on.

"Now, are you coming to see the room or do we wait until we take root on the sidewalk?"

Tony chewed his lower lip indecisively for a few more seconds as the two of them wordlessly looked into each other eyes, then finally stood up and silently walked around the car to retrieve his suitcase and backpack from the trunk.

As he followed her lead across the lawn, he saw her glancing sideways at his baggage, obviously unfitting for a trip which had been supposed to lead him to Los Angeles.

"You're on the run?" she snickered.

Tony's eyes dropped to the floor.

"I travel light," he mumbled lamely.

"I can see that," she teased him gently.

Using a remote control, she opened the sliding door and they entered a double garage fitted with a large workbench on the right; it reminded Tony of Gibbs' basement, except that all the tools and sawhorses were covered with a thick layer of dust.

"Ever think of settling down?" asked Tillie casually whilst rummaging in her purse on the hunt for her keys.

"I tried," whispered Tony resignedly. "Believe me, I tried."

"Then stop trying. Do it or don't do it."

Tony's eyes widened and a grin blossomed on his lips.

"Are you quoting Yoda?"

She pursed her lips.

"Actually, I was rather thinking of Robin Williams in _Dead Again_. You know, when he explained to Kenneth Branagh that you don't try to stop smoking. Either you smoke or you don't smoke."

"Yeah," nodded Tony. "I love that film. Movie fan?"

Keys at last in hand, she headed to a flight of wooden stairs on the left.

"Not that much. Branagh was Karen's idol when she was in College and she made me watch his films countless times. She was studying English literature and wanted to become a writer or an expert on Shakespeare at the time." She firmly grabbed the banister and snorted derisively before shaking her head. "For all the good it did."

"What happened?" Tony wanted to know, though he sensed he was skating on thin ice and that Tillie's relationship with her daughter was rather strained.

The older woman let out a heavy sigh and started to climb the creaky steps.

"Bryan Patterson happened." She spat. "That complete moron who's now my son in law."

She glanced to Tony over her shoulder.

"He was one of the assistant professors. Karen and he had an affair and of course, she got pregnant. She convinced herself that he was the love of her life and they get married."

Her words were literally dripping with sarcasm as she went on, punctuating each sentence with a louder than necessary creak from the steps.

"She gave up College and decided to become a perfect housewife. Without any degree or professional skill. Now, she's languishing in the depths of a suburb of Indianapolis, wedged between two ungrateful teenagers and a husband who ignores her most of the time, except when his coffee mug needs a refill. Talk about an achievement."

"She certainly chose to do what seemed the best for her child," offered Tony in a vain attempt to soothe her wrath.

"Bullshit," she grunted, as she reached the landing. "I raised her alone after her father crashed near the Laos border in 1973. I could have done the same with her nipper."

"Your husband was a soldier?"

Tillie's features softened at the mention of her late husband.

"Yep. Chopper pilot in the Marines."

"I'm sorry."

She averted her eyes and shrugged.

"Shit happens."

Although she was trying hard to hide it, Tony could see the undimmed hurt in her eyes.

"Yes, it does," he agreed quietly.

Tillie unlocked the door in front of her and stepped aside.

"And you? What was your subject?"

Tony knitted his brows at her abrupt change of topic.

"Sorry?"

"In College. You said you worked as a bartender when you were in College. What did you study?"

"Oh," he shrugged and scrunched his nose. "I only got a BA in Physical Education."

Tillie tilted her head and gave him a lopsided smile.

"At least you got a degree. That's better than nothing."

"Not everyone's opinion," Tony said bitterly whilst walking into the room.

The place was very simple and soberly furnished. A double bed, flanked by two small nightstands occupied the right half of the room along with a wooden wardrobe. On the opposite side, two naïve watercolors were hung above a low bookcase. A small wooden table and a chair stuck in the corner near the window completed the furniture.

It was decorated in shades of green, from the wallpaper to the matching velvet curtains and bedspread, the dim light of the bedside lamps creating a pleasant old fashioned atmosphere.

On the left, another door opened onto a small en suite bathroom which just like the room was spotlessly clean.

Tillie leant against the doorframe, arms crossed.

"Does it do the trick for you?"

Tony turned around and smiled at her.

"I would be a quibbler if I didn't like it."

She held out the key to him.

"This is the only one, so don't mislay it." She patted his shoulder. "Welcome home, pretty boy."

Tony took the key and stared at it for a few seconds.

"Well... Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She gave him a quick nod and turned towards the staircase. "I'll let you alone. You must need to rest."

She already had her foot on the first step when she stopped and added.

"As for tomorrow, show up at the bar at 7.00. Someone will be there."

With that, she closed the door behind her and left him alone.

As soon as the sound of Tillie's footsteps faded away, Tony plopped down on the bed, all energy suddenly drained out of him.

Taking his head in his hands, he took a deep breath and tried to ease the knot tightening his chest. In spite of Tillie's kind demeanor or maybe because of it, his mind was in a whirl.

It wasn't so often that people took an interest in him without expecting anything in return. In fact, it hadn't happened since Gibbs picked him up from Baltimore. And somewhere along the way, Tony had somehow managed to mess up to the point where his former mentor and friend couldn't even look him in the eyes or speak to him in a civilized way.

But he wouldn't let it happen this time, he swore to himself. Not at any price. This time, he wouldn't delude himself. Come what may, in two months, three at the very most, he swore he would be gone.

_To be continued._


	8. Echoes from the past

**Title:** Providence  
**Summary:** AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?  
**Categories: **NCIS  
**Rating:** K+  
**Characters**: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).  
**Pairing:** Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.  
**Genres:** Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.  
**Warnings:** Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.  
**Spoilers:** Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note**: Thanks to the wonderful badly_knitted who made it readable.

As always thank you to those who have reviewed my work or added it to their favorites list and story alerts.

This chapter is in certain manner a digression, but I think it's necessary in order to explain Tillie's state of mind. As announced, the next chapter will deal with the team and their reactions. Hope you'll enjoy.

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**To ****Rlmw, Guest (1), Guest (2), nando2k50:** Thank you for your nice reviews and your support.

**To Hope94:** Thank you. There will be a lot of 'figures' in Tony's new life. Team's reaction is coming and there will be blood ;D)

**To wytygr:** Thanks. I'm glad the note was helpful and I hope you'll like this new chapter.

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**Chapter 8 – Echoes from the past **

_Providence, Missouri - September 17__th__ – Sunday late evening_

The bedroom was dark and silent except for the soft whisper of the breeze outside. Safely hidden behind the half closed curtains, Tillie was peering outside at the opposite window on the other side of the alley. The light was on and her brand new neighbor hadn't bothered to close his curtains, so she had a clear view of the room.

A deep furrow was creasing her forehead as she watched the younger man, hunched on his bed and holding his head with both hands in a perfect embodiment of despondency. He hadn't moved an inch for the last ten minutes and each passing second was breaking Tillie's heart even more.

She shook her head with dismay. It was a pity to see the poor boy so sad and dejected.

Although she could look as hard as steel at first sight, people who really knew her also knew that she was far from heartless and that her apparent harshness was more a defense mechanism built over the years and the circumstances than a real trait.

In all honesty, her first reaction when she had heard the tinkling of the bell, after the departure of Barry's family, had been to give the unwelcome visitor short shrift. But that was before she found that tall guy standing in the middle of her bar with his drop-dead looks and his sheepish smile.

Twenty years ago, she might have thought she had fallen under the spell of his amazing green eyes and his good nature. Except she was too old by now and also too rugged for that kind of stuff. As charming as Tony looked, it took a little more than a pretty face and good manners to send Tillie head over heels and none of this would have earned him more than a good meal.

No. It was something else that had incited her to make up her mind and offer him a job. Something so inconspicuous that she could have missed it, if she had been less observant. A split second when the mask had slipped, allowing her to catch a fleeting glimpse of the look haunting his emerald eyes. The same look she saw in Jason Monroe's eyes almost thirty years ago. The look she had wished to never see again and had sworn never to ignore.

Her hand unwittingly gripped the edge of the curtain and she closed her eyes, as long forgotten memories echoed through her mind.

Jason and Max, her late husband, had been serving in the same regiment and long before Tillie actually met Jason in person, she had already heard of him at great length through Max's letters. They both came from Missouri, were both married with a newly born daughter, so it hadn't been long before they became the best of friends. Jason was also slightly younger than Max and obviously saw him as a big brother figure.

Tillie and Jason had finally met a few months before Max's death, when their regiment had got leave for Christmas and Max had unexpectedly asked her to allow Jason to join them for a week. At first, she hadn't been so keen on sharing Max's leave with a stranger, but he had insisted, explaining to her that Jason's wife was visiting family in Arizona with their daughter and therefore the poor guy would be all alone for the holiday season. Although it had seemed weird to her that Jason's family wasn't there for his return from the front, there were very few things she could refuse Max and she had ended up agreeing.

And in spite of Tillie's prior misgivings, Jason had proved himself to be a charming guest, helping with the cooking and the dishes and spending a lot of time playing with Karen, who was only one year old at the time. Yet, though things had gone more than smoothly, a strange sense of unease had bothered Tillie all through his stay. Something was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

It was only two weeks after their regiment had returned to Vietnam that the pieces of the puzzle had finally clicked together, when a letter from Max had arrived, informing her of Jason's death. The letter had obviously been censored, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to understand that the young man hadn't died at the front, but instead had killed himself.

Only then had she recalled the uncanny emptiness filling his eyes whenever he thought nobody was watching him, as well as the fact that though he used to smile in plenty, his smiles never seemed to reach his eyes.

Later, Max had confided in her that, just before his leave, Jason's wife had filed for divorce and asked for complete custody of their child. She had also made it pretty clear that there was already someone else in her life. Stuck in a country at war, thousands of miles away from his home, betrayed by the woman he loved and cut off from his only child, the poor guy had simply ended a life he saw as meaningless.

She reopened her eyes and glanced at Max's photo on the chest of drawers. Even after his death and its attendant woes, she had never forgotten about Jason Monroe.

And that was exactly the same pain and weariness she had read in Tony's eyes this afternoon, before he managed to hide it behind shitloads of fake smiles and cheerful small talk.

Of course, she was fully aware that she had limited room to maneuver, but there was no way she could turn a blind eye this time. She pressed her lips together and shook her head once again. For now, there wasn't much more she could do, but the poor kid really looked like he could do with some human warmth and that was something she had in plenty. After all a little extra TLC had never hurt anyone.

Turning on her heel, she left the room and went downstairs. Once in the kitchen, she retrieved a saucepan from the fridge and heated it up, then she ladled out a generous amount of the thick soup into a Thermos.

She grabbed her keys, wrapped a shawl tightly around her shoulders and headed back to the garage.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The knock at the door startled Tony. He ran his hands down his face and sighed before rising to his feet, his usual cheerful mask firmly plastered on his face. He opened the door and let Tillie into the room.

"Hey," she said with a grin.

"Hey too. You already miss me?" he ventured teasingly.

"Yep," she snorted. "Forgot to tuck you in and kiss you goodnight." She lifted the flask and added more seriously: "I won't be long. I was fixing dinner and thought you'd like a cup of soup."

Tony looked at the Thermos and slowly shook his head.

"That's nice, but I'm not really hun…"

He shut up almost immediately as Tillie sent him a glare which could easily translate into _You'd better eat it, boy or I'm going to feed you myself._

With a soft chuckle, he took the Thermos and smirked, admitting his defeat.

"Thanks. But you didn't have to."

Tillie dismissed his qualms with a shrug and turned towards the stairs.

"You're welcome. Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite."

Tony huffed a laugh and shook his head.

"Really doubt any bed bug is gutsy enough to dare crossing the doorstep of your house."

Tillie tilted her head and raised her eyebrows reflectively.

"True enough. Goodnight, Tony."

"Goodnight Tillie."

Tony softly closed the door behind her and leant against it with a heavy sigh. Looking down at the flask in his hands, he smiled. He wasn't sure he could ever get used to such a level of mothering.

He sat back on his bed and unscrewed the lid. The rich aroma of Tillie's soup immediately filled the air, tickling his nostrils and though he wasn't really hungry, he felt his mouth watering. He took a tentatively sip, then another, soon feeling a pleasant warmth spread in his belly. Unsurprisingly, the soup was as delicious as the meal he had taken earlier at the Silver Fox and in no time, there wasn't a drop left. No doubt about it, Tillie was a damn good cook.

Taking his toilet bag out of his suitcase along with a clean pair of boxers and a t-shirt, he went to the bathroom and carefully rinsed the Thermos before placing it on the edge of the sink to dry. Then, he stripped off his crumpled clothes, stepped inside the inviting shower and turned the hot water tap on full. He washed thoroughly, then kept his head under the spray, letting the scalding hot water run down his back to ease the tension of his muscles. When the water started to cool off, he turned off the tap, dried himself and got dressed quickly before brushing his teeth.

Stifling a yawn, he went back to the room and closed the curtains. He didn't bother to put his clothes in the wardrobe, as he didn't plan on staying long enough to need to It wasn't a big deal, or really anything new since he'd lived that way for a long time, before joining Gibbs and NCIS.

He threw the comforter down towards the foot of the bed and plumped himself down onto it. It was still early, but exhaustion was starting to overwhelm him and all he wanted was to crawl into bed. As soon as he had set the alarm on his watch, he switched off the light and slipped between the sheets. They were thick and slightly scratchy, but at least they were clean and fresh against his skin. As he buried his head in the pillow, he could still smell a lingering fragrance of lavender.

In the DiNozzo house, sheets never smelt of lavender. They smelt of aloe vera or any other kind of exotic smell, but _never_ lavender. It was too cheap, too… proletarian.

It was the kind of smell which Tony always associated with the 70's TV dramas he loved so much when he was a kid. Those shows where loving fathers built houses in the trees instead of cutting them down, and where lovely mothers never drank anything stronger than soda water and spent their spare-time baking apple pies.

He snuggled further into the soft pillow and inhaled deeply. Even though he knew full well that it was only fiction and no family would ever be so perfect, he would have bet his bottom dollar that, in real life, Richie Cunningham's sheets would have smelled of lavender.

He bit back a smile as he briefly wondered if the fact that he was currently living above the garage made him a sort of new version of Fonzie.

He didn't have much time though, to toy with the idea. In a matter of seconds and without even realizing it, he was sound asleep, dreaming of Richie Cunningham's mother inviting Fonzie to dinner with her family and serving him a delicious soup.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Back in her kitchen, Tillie warmed up the rest of the soup for herself in the microwave. Whilst the device was humming softly, she picked up the phone and dialed. In spite of the late hour, the person she was phoning answered almost immediately.

"Harvey. It's Tillie. I know it's late, but I wanted to tell you I've found somebody for the job He should show up early morning, if you don't mind being there to meet him."

A soft smile spread on her lips.

"Yeah. No, you don't know him. But I bet you'll find him rather... interesting."

_To be continued._


End file.
